Secret Spaces Art Exhibit

→ Interaction Design→ User Research→ Concept Design→ Development

Secret Spaces

The final iteration makes use of Whispers pulled from the app’s Twitter page overlaid with an animation. This is projected through a laser cut plywood wheel, which rotates with the help of a turntable servo.

My research began with an experiential learning journey to the Broadway Bridge in Ann Arbor. This area is notable in that it brings together dichotomous life experiences as the bridge overhang provides a shelter from the elements. At the same time, it’s abutted on the south side by a dog park and bordered by a bike path.

I was inspired by outsider art, such as that of the visionary artist Eddie Owens Martin.

… As well as the exhibit focused on immigration, “Baggage Claims” , Weatherspoon Art Museum (above, “Nostalgia” by Yoan Capote).

I employed a wide range of research and making methods for this project. Finding the right tools for the exhibit was imperative, thus I experimented with 3D modeling, laser cutting, and Arduino-based microcontrollers.

Being from a humanities background, it was important to me to use my strengths in this project, which is why I relied heavily on creative interview activities, on-the-spot street and cafe surveying, literature reviews, and ethnographic practices.

Initial Direction

This paper prototype represents the initial concept which was a wheelhouse for a projector resembling that of a kaleidoscope.

This version was designed in Illustrator before being laser cut, finished and assembled.

A resonance test for this version provided some of the metaphorical image distortion that I was aiming for but wasn’t quite as arresting as I’d hoped.

PostSecret is a project comprised of postcards individuals mail in with their secrets. Similarly, the Whisper app allows users to create anonymous posts. Both the PostSecret and Whisper Twitter feeds include photos of anonymous participants’ secrets, allowing for harvesting and caching via a Get Request function.

Moveable Interface

The overlay for the images pulled from Twitter is meant to evoke a cross-out poem.

The animation for the image sequence used in the concept video (top) was designed in Adobe Photoshope and AfterEffects.

An alternate version of the cross-out poem interface.

Current version

The current version of the concept consists of a blown up wheel that turns with the help of a record player servo. The pulled images from Twitter are projected through the turning wheel with the cross-out poem overlay superimposed over top.

DIVE Productivity App

→ Concept→ Design

DIVE Prototype

The final prototype demonstrates the main features of the app which are a task list and a timer that has work sessions and breaks.

The challenge was to design a solution for a system that collects personal data and then transforms the data in a way that provides useful insights for the user.

My team and I decided to create a solution within the productivity space to support users seeking more organization.

Is it possible to figure out how one becomes productive and to sustain that productivity?

According to the leading psychologist who coined the term, Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, “flow” is characterized by complete absorption in what one does, to the point of loss in one's sense of space and time.

This concept is central to the theme of the app, which you can see reflected in both the overall branding and visual language I created.

The main objective that design decisions were based on was to help users remain in self-sustained flow and be able to discern how to usher themselves into that state.

The user is kept in flow with the system using a timer for work sessions based on the Pomodoro technique which structures timed work sessions broken up short short breaks.

The design also incorporates self-reporting as to how users feel about their work session along with GPS location tracking. Both of these factors feed into the user’s overall data.

The resulting system changes behaviors by augmenting existing ones and shaping the path to make forward progression easier.

According to survey research conducted for the project, people already make lists. The app focuses on positive reinforcement by rewarding ticking off tasks with Breaks, Streaks, Bursts, and SuperFlows.

Users are set up to succeed through chunking tasks into manageable time slots or sessions.

The system directs the logical side of the brain with structure and data insights while tricking the brain into seeking the short term rewards the app provides.

Save the Bees Website

→ Website Design→ Development

This project encompasses design, development and copy for a non-profit concept website

It also includes branding and logo design for Save the Bees, a site aimed at raising awareness of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). The site also raises awareness for sustainable gardening and consumption to best support endangered bee species.

The website was developed in accordance with current usability best practices such as “Mobile First” and also adheres to accessibility guidelines.

While working at Bose, I was able to work closely with the product on several user-centered design studies. One was recently released under an Indiegogo campaign. For usability testing with Bose, I completed notetaking and data collection and assisted with data analysis, synthesis and report-outs to stakeholders.

For Bose Sleep Buds, I completed notetaking for a moderated user testing study for the unboxing experience and onboarding process for the new product and app. Using Noldus software and lab equipment, I collected data for later analysis.

o Test planning

o User testing on a new product app

o Note taking

As part of a moderated comparative analysis study involving eight headphone products, I completed data collection, synthesis, and presentation design before reporting to stakeholders.

o Test planning

o User testing of 18 participants, 8 products

o Note taking

Front-end Development

I assisted with generative and exploratory research for concepts. Working in the front-end was fuzzy but no less regimented, with project tasks including but not limited to:

o Screener creation

o Concept planning

o Prototype testing

o Observation and note taking

o Data collection

o Diary synthesis

o Interviewing

o Worksheet tabulation

o Video editing

As part of this project I created a screener to recruit participants for field research, and assisted in prototype planning and concept evaluation. During prototype testing, the team refined concepts and tested aspects of resonance with participants through moderators. While in the field, I collected data and also conducted interviews. At the end of the project I reviewed field participants diary entries and found themes under an analysis framework to present to stakeholders.

Alchemie Mobile Animator

I worked with a small team on the gamefied mobile animation tool from Alchemie. Alchemie is a startup offering smartphone apps dedicated to learning organic chemistry concepts. The Animator makes use of a touchscreen for creating stop-motion animations of chemical reactions frame by frame. The app allows users to build reactions simple to complex

My work: My team and I worked on recommendations towards the known UX issues and uncovered additional pain points through a series of needs-finding practices.

Process: My team and I rotated ownership over each method, culminating in a report on each and a final video documenting the peak findings.

Challenges: Speaking with users and stakeholders in order to find the best ways to study organic chemistry revealed that the subject is highly conceptual. “Thinking in 3D” is an aspect of the often complex organic chemical reactions, and this was under the constraint of a 2D screen.

Recommendations: Add to robustness of the current offering with “smart” molecules, make the icons consistent, improve save and loading template screen, and create a tutorial on frame-by-frame animation creation for first-time users.

Iconography which is misleading and nonstandard.

Suggestions for more recognizable iconography.

Tutorial

Part of our recommendations included the making of a tutorial. Several users during testing did not feel that the side menu and atom creation pop-up were intuitive enough without one. A short tutorial would ease the experience of first-time users and could clearly inform them of the functions of the app.

Social Screen

→ Interaction Design→ Concept→ User Research

Sketching

At the sketching stage of this project, I played around with various vehicles for interacting with a physical piece of technology, including using Twitter hashtags, remote posting phrases, and direct affordances.

Storyboarding

In this stage, I imagined several scenarios in which potential users would need this system. Though these are limited to group-living situations, the system could extend to office building scenarios.

Wireframes

I wanted the screen to have both video and camera capabilities. In my mind the user would be able to access this media from an archive that would always be available.

Paper Prototype

I completed A/B versions of my prototype with a small community I had access to - the apartment building in which I live.

After completing some user testing and receiving feedback the first week, I removed some buttons and enlarged the drawing area of the screen.

Social Screen

Due to the device being somewhat different than your traditional smartphone or tablet, I completed my Digital Prototype using Keynote. I made the animated writing with Adobe After Effects.

Smartwatch Event Finder

→ UX/UI Design→ Graphic Design

This micro usability challenge was week 13 of Dribbble's Weekly UI Challenge hosted by Mario Sestak. The concept was a three-step process of finding an event, buying tickets, and getting directions - all from a smartwatch.

I began my process by researching direction apps and event interfaces for the Apple Watch.

Then I completing hand-drawings of several ideas.

Finally I settled on my proposed solution and completed my design in Sketch.

I began my process by researching direction apps and event interfaces for the Apple Watch. I decided I wanted an interface that was simple and easy-to-use with large enough thumb targets on the 42 mm screen and completed hand-drawings of several ideas.

Smartwatch Eventfinder

Digital prototype with screens given a more finished look in Photoshop and interactivity added with Invision.

Taubman Pharmacy

→ User Research→ System Analysis→ Service Design→ Consulting

My team and I were given the task of improving pharmacist-patient communication at Taubman Pharmacy at the main hospital of the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) in Ann Arbor.

Serving as team lead, I kept up client communication and pushed for distillation of findings while creating spaces to find key inputs and feedback from each member of the team. Compass completed research and conducted interviews before distilling findings over a three-month period culminating in recommendations and a presentation to the client.

Upon meeting with the client, Compass learned that many patients do not use pharmacy consultations for directions or questions about their medications. Each member of the team completed research covering the University of Michigan Hospital System, patient outreach, and the patient-pharmacist relationship.

From there Compass began with a set of questions to answer. Simultaneously the team identified roles within the hospital pharmacy environment that could source the necessary information. Each role was then assigned a set of protocol questions.

Data Collection

Guided by Karen Holtzblatt's Rapid Contextual Design, Compass created a protocol based on subjects of inquiry related to the project scope. Sets of questions were tailored for each user persona while fitting overarching themes.

Interviews of each role were completed, followed by meetings to determine important points, make notes, and make progress on potential recommendations.

One of the problems Compass identified was the lack of interconnectivity between systems used in the hospital. While physicians and nurses use the EPIC hospital record system for patient insurance and medications, the pharmacy was receiving this information and transmitting it over to separate pharmacy management software called QS/1. Any necessary changes that already take time - such as a switch to generic medication or finding a substitute for a product no longer on the market - cause significant slowdowns in filling prescriptions.

Another recommendation measures patient satisfaction via an optional survey designed to easily capture feedback. Compass's survey employs a mix of open-ended questions, scaled questions, and dichotomous questions regarding the patient experience in order to capture a variance of information as well as allowing for multiple access points for a different users.

Clear Magazine

→ Content strategy→ Content writing

I worked as an intern for Clear Magazine, Emin Kadi's innovative fashion, design, and lifestyle app for iPad. Formerly a print magazine, Clear was making the leap to a digital brand presence with its website and social media.

In addition to maintaining the website and company Tumblr, I also did research on fashion and design to propose new content. Using Emin's contacts in the fashion and design world, I completed interviews with Raleigh Denim, Dror, and Aviicii bikes for Clear's blog.

I've included a peek into my work including Clear's app and some of my favorite scooped brands and events.